Alex Carey and Beau Webster’s second consecutive century partnership elevated Australia to 286 all out on day one of the second Test against the West Indies at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada on Thursday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The West Indies opening pair of Kraigg Brathwaite, marking his 100th Test, and John Campbell were spared from facing the Australian opening bowlers due to poor light conditions.
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Following their match-winning second innings partnership in Barbados, Carey and Webster’s sixth-wicket stand of 112 once again frustrated the Caribbean bowlers’ attempts to swiftly dismiss the visitors.Carey’s aggressive innings of 63 from 81 deliveries included ten fours and one six, whilst Webster’s patient 60 off 115 balls, featuring six fours and one six, provided stability after Australia’s early struggles at 110 for five, having chosen to bat first.
Webster’s innings ended through a run out whilst attempting an improbable second run, one of his rare misjudgements throughout his stay at the crease.“It was pretty simple really: keeping the straight balls out and trying to score when it was a bit wider or too straight,” Webster explained post-play. “The wicket offered a little bit again so it was a really good effort to get the total we did.”Webster commended Carey’s aggressive approach against the West Indies attack. “This series he has been fantastic and it’s been a pleasure to be up at the other end,” he noted. “We would have loved to get 300-plus and I’m a little bit to blame for not getting us there, but we have a really good bowling attack that bowls with lots of runs on the board and sometimes with not many to defend. We back them 100 percent on this sort of surface.“Alzarri Joseph claimed four for 61, whilst Jayden Seales took two for 45 in a pace-dominated attack, with Anderson Phillip replacing spinner Jomel Warrican.Joseph’s improved performance included the crucial wickets of Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith during a morning session where Australia lost three wickets for three runs. Phillip, returning after 18 months, dismissed Sam Konstas.Smith, back from a finger injury sustained at Lord’s three weeks earlier, fell to Joseph’s bowling, caught by Phillip near the long-leg boundary. Cameron Green’s dismissal for 26 by Seales, caught by Roston Chase at gully, preceded the crucial Carey-Webster partnership.
